Improvement in iron pavements



A. R. TEWKESBURY. IRON PAVEMENT Patented Mar. 9, 1858.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE;

ABIJAH R. TEWKESBURY, OF EAST BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN IRON PAVEMENTS.

Specification forming part of Iaetters Patent No. 19,5942, dated March 9, 1858.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ABIJAH R. TEWKES- BURY, of East Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Iron Pavements; and I do hereby declare that the same is fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 denotes a side view of a pavementblock made in accordance with my improvement. Fig. 2 is an edge view of it. Fig. 3 is a vertical and longitudinal section of it. Fig. 4 is a vertical and transverse section of it. Fig. 5 is a plan of it. Fig. 6 is a bottom view of it. Fig. 7 is a top View of a series of blocks arranged in the positions in which they may be placed in the earth in order to constitute a pavement.

I11 carrying out or constructing my improved pavement-blo'ck it is intended to be made of iron, either cast or wrought. In general, it is to be of cast-iron and founded in a mold formed with a chill-block for the purpose of suddenly chilling the upper surface of its cap, and thus imparting to it a very hard or harder surface than it would have were it cast in acommon sand or earth mold unprovided with a chill-block. It is not essential, however, to my invention that the block be founded or cast with a chilled cap or wheel bearing-surface, as it may be made withouta chilledbearing-surface. In its form it is constructed with an elongated concavo-convex grooved cap a, and is furcated or provided with two prongs b 7), extended from the cap, as shown in the drawings. There is a groove 0 carried longitudinally across the cap and down the two prongs, and, besides this, there are transverse grooves cl cl d, disposed across the cap and down its sides. Each prong, also, is formed with two curved beveled edges arranged on opposite sides of its groove 0, as seen inthe drawings. The cap between the two prongs is also arched in order to add to its strength. Each prong terminates at its lower end in a thin wedge shaped edge.

The longitudinal and transverse grooves of the cap are to afforda foothold for horses. By making the cap with a concave arch or recess I not only save metal in its construction, but cause the block to hold to good advantage in the earth, as the concavity serves to support it laterally as well as longitudinally therein.

In arranging these pavement-blocks or the surface of a street they may be disposed as shown in Fig. 7, each being made to lap on another a short distance.

A pavement constructed with blocks so made can be repaired or relaid with great ease whenever the same may be necessary. It will have all the advantages of the common cobble-stone pavement and will possess others not incident thereto-that is to say, it will have the durableproperties of the Terry and other kinds of cast-iron pavement.

In the construction of my pavement-block so as to be bifurcated and arched both widthwise and lengthwise, as shown in the drawings, it will be found to operate to better advantage.

I do not claim, an iron hexagonal pavingblock formed with legs .or lugs extending downward from the several cornersof its cap to be united or fixed to other blocks of like character by means of iron clips or bands, such being described in the specification of No. 15,776 of United States patents; nor do I claim a pavement-block made of metal and formed of a series of arches alternating in I position and connected to ridge or string pieces and having interstices between the arches, the same being as shown in No. 15,47 9 of United States patents; nor doI claim a pavement-block made of a hollow-cubical box having an arched or ribbed cap and formed with round holes through its vertical sides,

as my invention or improved block, as a whole, differs essentially from such- In the first place, it has but two prongs extended down from the ends of its cap, andsuch cap is arched in two directionsviz., lengthwise as well as widthwise. My block is of an oblong shape, and each prong is made wedge-shaped in order that when the block may be driven downward the wedge-shaped prong will en= ter the soil and consolidate the earth which may enter between the two prongs. Further more, the concave cap or cap-shaped arch also condenses and consolidates the earth, so

as to steady and support the pavement-block In testimony whereof I have hereunto set in lateral as well as in longitudinal direction. my signature.

What I claim is- I T The improved cast-iron pavement-block as ABUAH TEVKESBURX made with an arched cap and two wedge- Witnesses: j shaped prongs, arranged substantially as de- R. H. EDDY, scribed. F. P. HALE, J r. 

